1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicle carriers and, more particularly, to devices especially adapted for carrying vehicles on trucks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Certain vehicles are relatively small and are often transported by other vehicles to different locations. For example, all terrain vehicles (ATVs), motorcycles, and bicycles are often transported on trailers pulled by passenger automobiles or trucks. In addition, the above-mentioned small vehicle, are often transported on the beds of pickup trucks. Conventionally, the small vehicles are rolled onto the bed of a trailer or pickup truck using a ramp assembly.
More specifically, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to devices adapted for loading or carrying small vehicles onto the beds of pickup trucks, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,642,156; 3,870,170; 3,976,209; 4,171,844; 4,624,619; and 5,287,579. All of the devices disclosed in the above-cited patents have a number of common characteristics. First, the small vehicle is loaded and unloaded from the pickup truck by way of a lowered tailgate. Second, the small vehicle rests upon the bed of the pickup truck as the small vehicle is transported.
A number of disadvantages are associated with the need to load and unload a small vehicle by way of a lowered tailgate. For example, a ramp assembly must be provided that is specifically adapted to work in conjunction with a tailgate. There are a wide variety of tailgates, and providing a substantially universal ramp assembly for a variety of tailgates may not be possible. When a small vehicle is loaded onto the bed of the pickup truck, the small vehicle is usually rolled in a forward motion, and steering is best controlled when the small vehicle rolls forward. However, when the small vehicle is unloaded from the pickup truck, the small vehicle must be backed out of the pickup truck. Yet steering of the small vehicle is less easily controlled when the vehicle is moved backward. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for carrying a small vehicle on a transporter vehicle that does not require the carried vehicle to be backed off of the transporter vehicle.
In a pickup truck, the tailgate is generally located along the longitudinal axis of the truck. As a result, a vehicle to be carried by the pickup truck must be loaded and unloaded along the longitudinal axis of the truck. However, there may be circumstances wherein loading and unloading of a small vehicle along the longitudinal axis of a pickup truck may be inconvenient. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for carrying a small vehicle on a transporter vehicle wherein the small vehicle need not be loaded and unloaded along the longitudinal axis of the transporter vehicle.
Still other features would be desirable in a truck-mounted or trailer-mounted vehicle carrier apparatus. For example, a pickup truck and an open-top trailer generally have a bed and walls adjacent to the bed. The amount of bed space is limited. Therefore, when a small vehicle is carried on the bed, space that would otherwise be available on the bed is occupied by the small vehicle. To avoid occupying truck or trailer bed space, it would be desirable if a carrier for a small vehicle were provided which does not occupy bed space in a truck or trailer.
Many trucks and trailers have beds which are not enclosed and, therefore, unprotected from rain, snow, and the like. Objects which are exposed to rain and snow have a tendency to undergo rust and other forms of deterioration due to the presence of accumulated water. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for carrying small vehicles on a truck or trailer that readily drained water to prevent water accumulation.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use transporter vehicles for carrying small vehicles, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a truck-mounted, vehicle carrier apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) avoids the need to load and unload a small vehicle by way of a lowered tailgate; (2) is not specifically adapted to work in conjunction with a tailgate; (3) does not require a carried vehicle to be backed off of the transporter vehicle; (4) carries a small vehicle on a transporter vehicle in such a way that the small vehicle need not be loaded and unloaded along the longitudinal axis of the transporter vehicle; (5) readily drains water to prevent water accumulation; and (6) does not occupy bed space in a truck or trailer. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique truck-mounted, vehicle carrier apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.